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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pop — to visit
  3. clip — a video
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. craft — boats
  12. clip — to cut
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mark — a grade
  19. lean — to bend
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bark — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com